Space Topics: Near Earth Objects
Near Misses?
Periodically, near-Earth objects pass close enough to Earth to cause a buzz
in the news media. No NEO is now known to be on a certain collision
course with Earth, but the near misses do remind us of the presence of potentially
hazardous asteroids. These close approaches also give professional and
amateur astronomers around the world the opportunity to study NEOs up close.
Future Encounters
2002 NT7
Date: February 1, 2019
News: Asteroid 2002 NT7 Under Watch, But Probably Not Coming Our Way
and Asteroid
2002 NT7 Under Watch, Odds of Impact Decline Dramatically
99942 Apophis (2004 MN4)
Date: April 13, 2036
News: Astronomers Revise Torino Scale Asteroid Advisory System
1950 DA
Date: March 16, 2880
News: A Close Call for Earth in 878 Years
Past Encounters
4179 Toutatis
Date: September 29, 2004
Distance from Earth: 1.5 million kilometers
News: Very
Close Approach by Asteroid 4179 Toutatis: It's Not a Crisis, It's an Opportunity
and Simultaneous Observations of Asteroid 4179 Toutatis from Two Chilean
Telescopes Demonstrate Parallax
2004 AS1
Date: January 14, 2004
2004AS1 caused a brief scare when initial observations seemed to indicate
that it was on a collision course for Earth within a few days. Follow-up
observations proved that it posed no risk to Earth, but the event jump-started
conversation within the NEO community about how to handle and report the discovery
of an object on a course for imminent collision with Earth.
News: What to Do When the Big One Heads Our Way?
2002 NY40
Date: August 17, 2002
Distance from Earth: 530,000 kilometers
News: Your Chance to See a NEO!
2002 MN
Date: June 17, 2002
Distance from Earth: 210,000 kilometers
News: The Close Call that was Asteroid 2002 MN
2001 YB5
Date: January 7, 2002
Distance from Earth: 600,000 kilometers
News: Asteroid Gives Earth a Close Flyby
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